[5][6] The village affected by the avalanches was so remote that it took a full day for news of the disaster to reach Fayzabad, the province's capital.
[2] Nearby villages offered what help they could, but outside rescue workers did not arrive on the scene until March 6 or 7, walking two days to get there.
[4] Governor Shah Waliullah Adeeb tried to visit the disaster area himself, but was caught in yet another avalanche on the way and had to be rescued by helicopter.
[6] The New York Times cited the government being "woefully unprepared" to deal with natural disasters as a contributing factor.
[4] In recent years, snow has regularly cut off remote villages, making it difficult to deliver medical supplies to where they are needed.
[1][3] The United Nations had flown in tons of food and medical supplies the previous fall as part of a strategy for coping with the region's harsh winters.